The best nutritious recipes for lentil spreads 5 times differently

Do you love legumes and are you tired of preparing them the same way over and over again?

Try our recipes for lentil spreads in 5 different variations!

Use the traditional green lens, but also red or even black.

Whatever you choose, we’re sure you’ll like it.

Lentil spread with mustard

This spread is delicious, healthy and nutritious, suitable for breakfast, in a sandwich for lunch or for a party. Try something new again!

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked lentils
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 4 teaspoons of mustard
• 4 tablespoons of oil
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Method

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan, add the onion and caramelize.
2. Add lentils, salt and pepper.
3. Stir the mixture over medium heat for 5 minutes or less.
4. Finally, add the mustard and garlic.
5. Allow the finished mixture to cool for 5 minutes, then place it in a food processor and blend for 30 seconds or until desired consistency is reached.
6. Put the spread in the fridge for 20 minutes.
7. Serve on baguette slices or in a sandwich with a few slices of fresh cucumber.
8. Enjoy it!

Black lentil spread

Black lentil spread is healthy and tastes great. If you haven’t tried a black lens yet, you need to do it right now, because it’s really worth it!

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked black lentils (feel free to overcook them if you want a mushy spread)
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 pinches of salt
• ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried onion
• 5 tablespoons of room temperature water
• vegetables for serving

Method

1. Blend the cooked lentils in a food processor.
2. Add lime juice, a pinch of salt, dried garlic and onion.
3. Mix it up.
4. Add the olive oil little by little along with the water and mix again a little.
5. Pay attention to the consistency you want to have, neither too runny nor too dry.
6. Continue adding olive oil and water to desired consistency.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Serve with a variety of crunchy vegetables.

Lentil pate with walnuts

This walnut pâté is an extremely nutritious snack and perfect as an appetizer. It is full of healthy fats and proteins, beautifully salty and absolutely delicious!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup raw brown or green lentils
• 3/4 cup walnuts
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil (can be replaced with 2 tablespoons of vegetable stock)
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme or rosemary)
• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon white miso paste (optional, but if omitted, add an additional 1/4 teaspoon salt)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Method

1. Place the lentils in the pot.
2. Fill the pot with enough water to fully submerge the lentils.
3. Bring the water to a boil and cook for about 20-25 minutes, or until the lentils are soft but not watery or mushy.
4. Drain the lentils and set aside.
5. While the lentils are cooking, heat a pan over low heat.
6. Add the walnuts.
7. Toast the nuts, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted.
8. Set nuts aside.
9. Return the pan to the stove and increase the heat to medium.
10. Add olive oil and shallots.
11. Stir-fry the shallots for 2 minutes, then add the garlic.
12. Sauté the garlic and shallots for another 3 minutes, or until soft and fragrant.
13. Add the lentils and mix well.
14. Remove the pan from the heat.
15. Put the roasted walnuts together with the salt into the blender and mix well.
16. Add the lentil mixture and all other ingredients along with 1/3-1/2 cup water (as much as you need to get a thick, yet smooth and spreadable, hummus-like consistency).
17. Process the pate until smooth.
18. Serve with toast or crackers.

Lentil spread with lemon and herbs

You will taste the intermingling flavors of vegetables, herbs and spices in this healthy spread. It is anti-inflammatory, dietary and terribly simple. Enjoy your meal!

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup green lentils (uncooked)
• 1/2 medium yellow onion (chopped)
• 1 medium stalk celery (chopped)
• 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley (plus more for garnish)
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of dried garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Method

1. In a large pot, cover the lentils, onion and celery stalks with 2 1/2 cups water.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
3. Drain and set aside any remaining cooking liquid.
4. In a food processor or high-speed blender, blend lentils with 1 tablespoon olive oil, parsley, lemon juice, 3/4 lemon zest, salt, dried garlic, and black pepper until smooth.
5. Add the cooking liquid to the mixture a tablespoon at a time to reach the desired consistency.
6. Garnish with additional parsley and lemon zest and drizzle with the remaining teaspoon of olive oil before serving.

A simple red lentil spread

This spicy, sweet-and-savory red lentil spread with maple syrup, fresh herbs, sun-dried tomatoes and miso paste is an absolutely delicious affair that goes well with more than just morning toast.

Ingredients

• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 cups vegetable broth or water
• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of tomato puree
• 3 sun-dried tomatoes
• 1-2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup plus more for serving
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon white miso paste (optional)
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped chives (optional)
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Crush the garlic and chop the onion.
2. Add to a large pot and sauté over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are browned.
3. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water while sautéing to prevent burning.
4. Add the lentils and vegetable stock and cook for a further 10-15 minutes until the lentils are tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
5. Transfer the cooked lentils to a food processor with the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth and blend well.
6. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
7. Serve warm or cold with additional maple syrup and chopped dill.
8. Enjoy it!

How to properly cook and store lentils

Lentils are sold in two forms: canned and dried . While the canned version is good for immediate use, such as a quick salad or side dish, the dried version works well for soups and stews or salads.

A bag of dried lentils can really last forever, but it’s best to use them up within a year of purchase (or by the date on the package). After opening the bag, store any remaining lens in an airtight container in a cool, dry place .

One of the advantages of lentils is that they can be cooked in less than an hour . Although it seems like an unnecessary step, never forget to rinse and sieve the lentils to remove any stones or debris before cooking. You rarely find stones, but it does happen.

When cooking, treat lentils more like pasta than rice – lentils don’t need to absorb all the cooking liquid like rice. In general, one cup of dried lentils will yield two to two and a half cups of cooked lentils.

And which spread did you choose? Let us know in the comments!